petit mal epilepsy and driving - advice please

[fairylights]

my dh has been on medication for epilepsy since he was 5 and last had a petit mal episode when he was 18 and he is now 33. Today he thinks that he had a petit mal while at work (although its obviously hard to be sure seeing as he wasn't connected to an EEG machine at the time!). When he had the last petit mal at 18 his driving licence was taken away for a year and it would obviously be much, much less convenient now if the same thing was to happen..
he doesn't have to drive for work (thank goodness) but with 2 kids and a wife (me) who hates driving on big roads or motorways (I start having panic attacks..) its would be a pain. He is just wondering whether he should go to the GP because he knows that will probably mean he immediately won't be able to drive.. but at the same time he obviously doesn't want to endanger himself, our family or anyone else..
so we were just wondering whether anyone out there had maybe had a similar situation and how long their licence was removed for and maybe it might have been less than a year?
TIA

The rule is still that you cannot drive for a year after your last seizure. I basically never drive 'cos I can never get up to 12m between seizures!

He can either surrender his licence voluntarily: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/MedicalRulesForDrivers/MedicalA-Z/DG_185434. Or chat to his GP about it. If he speaks to his GP his GP has got a duty to inform the DVLA if he thinks a patient has had had a seizure BUT the GP might also think your husband has not had a seizure, in which case there is no need to surrender his licence at all.

Obviously your DH knows his epilepsy best but it would be unusual to have a partial seizure for the first time 15 years after his last one. Anxiety, stress, dehydration and hunger can trigger symptoms that can be mistaken for epilepsy. It is important to eliminate these causes before assuming he has definitely had a seizure.

And if he has definitely had a seizure he'll need to see his doctor anyway because he may need to change medication to get his seizures under control again.

thanks Penelope thats really helpful. He went to see the GP this morning who wasn't entirely sure whether it was a petit mal or not but wants him to see a neurologist (not urgently so will probably be a long wait) and told him to phone the DVLA who of course are sending him a form to surrender his licence. But before he sends it we are going to chat to friends who are GPs and also one who is a neurologist! Although I guess now the DVLA will have noted his call and will have his card marked.. ah well, its better to be safe than sorry I guess, just a pain in the arse.
Sorry to hear you never manage to get your licence back, what a shame for you. But thanks for your advice!